Golf rankings, capsules - Part 1

1. Tiger Woods, United States -- With eight victories on the PGA Tour the past two years after being winless since 2009, Woods is once again the best golfer in the world, with only a major championship needed to complete his comeback from injuries and indiscretion. He won't get a chance to take that step until the Masters in April, but in playing for the first time in 2014 this week, at least he has a major venue, Torrey Pines, where he claimed the last of his 14 titles in the Grand Slam events in 2008. ... Tiger will be playing in the Farmers Insurance Open for the 13th time, and he has won the former San Diego Open a record seven times, including six of his last eight appearances. Last year, he built such a big lead that even with a closing round of even-par 72 he wound up four strokes ahead of Brandt Snedeker and Josh Teater. Of course, his best performance at Torrey was outlasting Rocco Mediate in a classic 19-hole playoff to win the 2008 U.S. Open while dragging around a left leg that would need surgery afterward. ... With one more victory in the Farmers, Woods would again equal the record of Sam Snead, who captured the Greater Greensboro Open eight times. Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational for the eighth time last year, and he will get a chance to claim the WGC-Cadillac Championship for the eighth time in March. With three more victories, he would equal Snead's PGA Tour record of 82.

2. Adam Scott, Australia -- Scott's brilliant run in recent months, with four victories since August including the unofficial Grand Slam of Golf, moved him within three points of Tiger Woods at the top of the World Golf Rankings. However, he said his mind and body were telling him he needed a break as he tied for sixth in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and tied for eighth at the Sony Open in Hawaii, so he is taking six weeks off before teeing it up next in the Honda Classic at the beginning of the Florida Swing. ... To start off his vacation, the Aussie headed to the Big Island with surfing legend Kelly Slater and some friends in search of some big waves, and he also planned to play a little bit of golf. After that, he wasn't sure if he would head home to Australia for some quiet family time after a hectic return home late last year, when he played in four tournaments in a little more than a month during his first visit down under since winning the Masters. Another possibility was a trip to Bermuda, where he captured the Grand Slam of Golf in October, but at either venue he would be able to enjoy his two favorite pastimes, golf and surfing. ... By taking time off, he figures to lose ground to Woods, who will start this week in the Farmers Insurance Open, and No. 3 Henrik Stenson, who is breathing down Scott's neck, only two-tenths of a point behind. Stenson could catch the Aussie if he continues his own sensational surge from late last year.

3. Henrik Stenson, Sweden -- Coming off a year in which he captured the FedEx Cup and the Race to Dubai, Stenson shot 74-72--146 and surprisingly missed the cut by two strokes in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. He made the cut in all 23 events he played on the European Tour a year ago, but he missed twice on the PGA Tour, the last at the Wells Fargo Championship in May. ... The big Swede lives part of the year in Dubai and is going to play in all three events on the Middle East Swing of the European Tour. This week, it is the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, which he will be playing for the 14th consecutive year. He won the tournament in 2006, when he closed with a 4-under-par 68 to beat Paul Broadhurst of England by three shots. He also finished second in 2005, one stroke behind Ernie Els; tied for second in 2008, three shots behind Adam Scott; and was second again in 2009, three strokes behind Alvaro Quiros of Spain. ... Stenson pointed out after missing the weekend in Abu Dhabi that he did not play well on the par-5 holes, which he usually takes advantage of because of his distance off the tee. He made par on all eight par 5s in two rounds. He also made only five birdies on the other holes. Stenson putted lights out in his run late last year, but this time he averaged 31.0 putts per round, including 33 in the second round. Stenson rallied with two birdies on his last two holes Friday, but it wasn't nearly enough.